The cuneiform bi sign, also pí, and used for other syllabic forms, as well as a sumerogram, is a common use syllabic and alphabetic cuneiform sign used in both the mid-14th century BC Amarna letters and the Epic of Gilgamesh. In the Amarna letters, it is sometimes used for the spelling of the archers (Egyptian pitati), 'pí-t(x)-t(x)', an often requested need from the Pharaoh in the vassal state sub-corpus of the letters.
As a sumerogram, (capital letter (majuscule)), sign bi is used for KAŠ, Akkadian language for "šikāru",Parpola, 1971. The Standard Babylonian Epic of Gilgamesh, Glossary, pp. 119-145, šikāru, p. 142. beer.
The following linguistic elements for bi are used in the Epic:Parpola, 1971. The Standard Babylonian Epic of Gilgamesh, Sign List, pp. 155-165, Sign no. 214, p. 159.
bé bi gaš kaš pí KAŠ, sumerogram: "beer"
The bi sign's usage numbers in the Epic of Gilgamesh are as follows: bé-(25 times), bi-(190), gaš-(1), kaš-(12), pí-(2), KAŠ-(1).Parpola, 1971. The Standard Babylonian Epic of Gilgamesh, Sign List, pp. 155-165, Sign no. 214, p. 159.
Amarna letters usage
Use of pí, Egyptian archers The archers were part of the Egyptian army, and often requested by the Canaanite vassal city-states, when writing to the Pharaoh in the Amarna letters. They were named the pitati, Akkadian language "piṭātu",Rainey, 1970. El Amarna Tablets, 359-379, Glossary:Vocabulary, piṭātu, pp. 55-87, p. 75. "troops of soldiers", and spelled in a variety of ways, often starting with the bi sign as pí.
A partial listing of spellings of "ERIM.MEŠ-pitati", by Amarna letter:
EA 86, 86:7--pí-ṭa-ti EA 282, 282:11--pí-ṭa-ti EA 290, 290:20--pí-ṭa-ti EA 296, 296:34--pí-ṭa-ti
References
Moran, William L. 1987, 1992. The Amarna Letters. Johns Hopkins University Press, 1987, 1992. 393 pages. (softcover, ) Parpola, 1971. The Standard Babylonian Epic of Gilgamesh, Parpola, Simo, Neo-Assyrian Text Corpus Project, c 1997, Tablet I thru Tablet XII, Index of Names, Sign List, and Glossary (pp. 119–145), 165 pages. Rainey, 1970. El Amarna Tablets, 359–379, Anson F. Rainey, (AOAT 8, Alter Orient, Altes Testament 8, Kevelaer and Neukirchen -Vluyen), 1970, 107 pages.